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The Naked Brothers Band
The Naked Brothers Band is an American television series created by actress Polly Draper and produced by Kidzhouse Entertainment and Worldwide Biggies, which aired on Nickelodeon from February 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series is a spin-off of The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie, which was originally an independent film written and directed by Draper. After winning a prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival in 2005, Albie Hecht—who later became an executive producer of the show—was present that day and bought the film, to which became a pilot to the latter TV series and premiered in January 2007. The show stars Draper's prodigious sons, Nat Wolff and Alex Wolff, who portray famed versions of themselves. Draper's husband, Michael Wolff, serves as the music supervisor and also plays his sons' inept accordion-playing father. The storyline takes place in New York City where the siblings live in a vivid colored apartment, akin to the family's real home. The show is based on Nat's real-life band, The Silver Boulders, which he formed in preschool with his childhood friends. Nat and Alex also self-composed, performed, and sang all of the series' music. The series is a mockumentary—a parody shot in the style of a documentary—with cameras recording the band members during their concert performances and personal lives as they encounter adolescents. The title is derived from an incident when the brothers were very young; they arose from the bathtub shouting, "We're 'the naked brothers band!Template:'" According to Viacom, "The premiere of The Naked Brothers Band television series delivered Nickelodeon's highest-rated premiere in seven years" and instantly became one of the most popular shows for children aged 6–11. The series is as popular as Disney Channel's Hannah Montana and Cory in the House. Draper was nominated for a 2008 Writer's Guild of America award for her work on the first season's episode, "Nat is a Stand-Up Guy"; a year later, she received a WGA award for her work on the second season's finale TV movie special, Polar Bears. Nat also earned a nomination twice for his performance; one at the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards in the United Kingdom, and another at the KCAs in the United States. Nat, Alex, and their father also received a 2007 BMI Cable Award for their work on the show's music. Cast Main cast List of The Naked Brothers Band Characters *Nat Wolff starred as himself, and was the lead singer-songwriter and keyboardist for the band. Nicknamed "The Girl Magnet", he switched to guitar for songs such as "Taxi Cab" and "Curious". His crush on the band's bassist Rosalina, inspired his love songs. In the second season, Nat and Rosalina went to the prom together, then on a double date, and in the finale TV movie of the season called Polar Bears, Nat and Rosalina finally became a couple. However, in season three their relationship faced many complications when Rosalina went on a six month around-the-world boat cruise. *Alex Wolff starred as himself, and was the drummer for the band. He switched to keyboards for songs, "Changing" and "Why", which he sang and composed. He also wrote and sang other songs, such as "I Could Be", "Alien Clones", and "Three is Enough". In the show, he is in love with Jesse and considers her to be his girlfriend, but Jesse calls him, "my little boyfriend" and Alex always disapproves of her dating other men including the Timmerman Brothers. *Allie DiMeco starred as Rosalina, and was the former bassist for the band, and then played guitar with Qaasim. She is Nat's love interest and the inspiration for many of Nat's songs such as "Girl of My Dreams" and "Beautiful Eyes". In the Sidekicks movie, Nat and Rosalina go to the prom together, and in the episode Three is Enough, they go on a double date with Cooper and Miss Scoggins. Rosalina and Nat finally get together as a couple in the movie Polar Bears. In the third season, Rosalina wins a violin competition and subsequently leaves for a sixth month cruise around the world which sometimes creates problems in her relationship with Nat. In fact, when she returns from her cruise, she breaks up with Nat and quits the band after a heated fight. The band then conducted a national competition to replace Rosalina, and they choose a new bass player, Kristina. Just as the new band begin to get along, Rosalina asks to rejoin the band, so she is kept in the band as second guitarist. * Michael Wolff starred as Dad (also known as "Mr. Wolff" or "Sonny"). Mr. Wolff is Nat and Alex's dorky accordion player dad, who always embarrasses his sons; for example, he sometimes tries to appear in the band's music videos. He has performed at the Hoboken Rathskeller restaurant. He was dating a woman named Betty, but she later dumps him for his twin brother Miles. *'Thomas Batuello' starred as himself, and was the cellist for the band. In the show, Thomas is a prankster with David. In the first season, he and David claimed not to like girls, but in the second season's episode of Cleveland, he became jealous of how Nat attracts all the girls. In the first season, he would often tease Nat and Rosalina about their crush. After Rosalina left for her six month cruise around the world in the third season, Thomas became the band's temporary bassist. * David Levi starred as himself, and was the keyboardist for the band and often joins in on Thomas's pranks. He also has a dog named E.T. * Qaasim Middleton starred as himself, and was the guitarist for the band. In the show, he is known for being very intelligent and a good flirter with girls. * Cooper Pillot starred as himself, and was the band's manager. In the show, Cooper has a crush on a girl named Patty Scoggins. He is known for wearing a suit and glasses. * Jesse Draper starred as Jesse Cook, and was the band's tutor and babysitter. In the show, Jesse is not very intelligent, so Rosalina and Qaasim help her grade the band members' assignments. She calls Alex her "little boyfriend" and wears several different kinds of tattoos. Much to Alex's dismay, Jesse is dating the Timmerman Brothers—Donnie, Johnny, and Billy. Recurring stars * Tim Draper played the role of Joe Schmoke, the principal of Amigos School. In real life, he is Polly Draper's brother and Jesse Draper's father. * Daniel Raymont played the role of the director in the first season, the role of Wing in the second season, and the role of Abdul in the third season episode titled "Valentine Dream Date". Abdul is mentioned several times throughout the series. * Catherine Curtain played the role of Betty, Sonny's crazed ex-girlfriend, and a house cleaning specialist. She plays in Sonny Wolff's two-member band The Hunnie Bunnies, although the other characters do not like their music. In season two, during the episode Uncle Miles, Betty left Sonny for his twin brother jazz musician Miles Wolff (played by Michael Wolff.) She returned in the third season episode, Valentine Dream Date. * Emily Richardson played the role of Patty Scoggins, Cooper's crush. * Teala Dunn played the role of Juanita, Alex's friend and crush. * Billy Draper played the role of Billy Timmerman, one of the members of the dorky and unsuccessful band, The Timmerman Brothers. He also played the role of Jesse's clueless boyfriend. In real life, he is Jesse Draper's brother and Tim Draper's son. * Adam Draper played the role of Donnie Timmerman, one of the members of the dorky and unsuccessful band, The Timmerman Brothers. He also played the role of Jesse's clueless boyfriend. In real life, he is Billy Draper's brother and Jesse Draper's brother. * Coulter Mulligan played the role of Johnny Timmerman, one of the members of dorky and unsuccessful band, The Timmerman Brothers. He also played the role of Jesse's clueless boyfriend. In real life, he is Jesse, Billy and Adam Draper's cousin. * Eleanor Draper played the role of Tessy, Jesse's sister and a dancing girl in the music videos. In real life, she is Jesse, Billy, and Adam Draper's sister. * Lisa Mulligan played the role of Bessy, Jesse's sister and a dancing girl in the music videos. In real life, she is Jesse Draper's cousin and Coulter Mulligan's sister. * George Lopez starred as himself. * Victoria Justice starred as herself. * Kristina Reyes starred as herself, who first appeared in the third season TV movie special, Naked Idol. She was chosen to be the new bassist after Nat's girl friend Rosalina quit the band. After first, Nat acted disrespectful to Kristina because he was upset about the departure and break up of Rosalina. However, Nat and Kristina have a talk and a friendship is formed between them. During that chat, Kristina told Nat she had always dreamed of playing in the band, as well as looking up to him as a role model, after hearing his song "Rosalina" broadcast on the radio when she was ten years old. In the Naked Brothers Band TV movie The Premiere, Rosalina hopes to return to the band and they must decide whether to keep Kristina or to have Rosalina back. The band decides to keep both Kristina as the group's bassist, and Rosalina as the group's second guitarist. Episodes Season synopses Season 1: 2007 Nielsen Media Research calculates that approximately 1.3 million people have watched the first 10 episodes of season 1. The first season's plot introduces 11-year-old Nat Wolff and younger brother, 8-year-old Alex Wolff, members of the world-famous rock band, The Naked Brothers Band. The band features the lead singer-songwriter and keyboardist Nat Wolff; drummer Alex Wolff; 11-year-old guitarist Qaasim Middleton; 11-year-old keyboardist David Levi; 11-year-old cellist Thomas Batuello; 13-year-old Rosalina (Allie DiMeco) who is Nat's crush and the bassist; and, 11-year-old band manager Cooper Pillot. In the first season the second TV movie Battle of the Bands, aired on October 6, 2007. The first season featured guest appearances by rapper Snoop Dogg, actor/comedian George Lopez, and actor-musician Keli Price. The first season aired 13 episodes. Season 2: 2008 ]] In the second season, Nat is 12 and Alex is 9. Band members Rosalina (Allie DiMeco) is 14; and Qaasim, Thomas, David, and Cooper are 12. The second season started off with the third TV movie Sidekicks. During the second half of the season, the band went on tour. The second season ended on June 6, 2008 with the fourth TV movie Polar Bears, which was about Alex—who watched Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth—causing Alex to become obsessed about Polar Bears because he became concerned about all the Polar Bears dying from the result of Global Warming. Meanwhile, Nat and Rosalina become a couple in the TV movie. Guest stars include musician Joel Madden, skateboarder Tony Hawk, actor/comedian George Lopez, and drummer/composer Phil Collins. The second season aired 15 episodes. Season 3: 2008-09 For the third season, Polly Draper directed five out of the thirteen episodes that aired.1 In the third season, Nat is 13 and Alex is 10. Band members Rosalina (Allie DiMeco) is 15; Qaasim, Thomas, David, and Cooper are 13. The third season began with the fifth TV movie Mystery Girl, which premiered on October 18, 2008. Mystery Girl movie featured celebrity guest star actress Miranda Cosgrove, star of the hit Nickelodeon TeeNick series, iCarly. The third season featured many celebrities including Whoopi Goldberg, Natasha Bedingfield, Dave Attell, David Desrosiers (Simple Plan), Simon Kirke (Bad Company), Tobin Esperance (Papa Roach), Leon Thomas III (star of August Rush), and Victoria Justice (star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 and Spectacular!). The new season showed the band as they made their first motion picture, starting with the premiere. Also, in the third season, Rosalina has left for her around-the-world cruise. Immediately after her return, she left both Nat and the band, forcing them to find a new bassist. Kristina Reyes was cast as the band's new bassist; however, the band allows Rosalina to rejoin, although they also retain Kristina. Video Video:The Naked Brothers Band Video:The Naked Brothers Band - If That's Not Love Video:Curious - The Naked Brothers Band Video:I FEEL ALONE - The Naked Brothers Band (Note: This video belong to Nickelodeon Record & is not to be taking from this page) Awards and reception Awards ''The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie won the audience award for a family feature film at the 2005 Hamptons International Film Festival. Hecht says, "I could see there was an audience for this. They're real kids, real brothers, making real music." After the first season, Draper received a nomination for the season's third episode, "Nat is a Stand-Up Guy", at the 2008 Writer's Guild of America for Children's Episodic and Specials. The following year at the end of the second season, Draper won the Children's Script — Long Form or Special at the 2009 Writers Guild of America for the finale TV movie Polar Bears, which was the only one nominated in the category. In 2007, Nat was nominated for Best TV Actor at the 2007 UK Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. In 2008, Nat performed at the 2008 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards; the following year he was nominated there for Favorite TV Actor. Production Development Nat and Alex's mother, Polly Draper, explains the events that preceded the show: "Nat kept putting signs on his door: I want to be a child actor! I said, 'No, it's too brutal.Template:'" Early in 2007, Draper told The New York Times in an interview: "Nat decided he wanted to film his own sitcom, so we did a film called Don’t Eat Off My Plate...I pretended to interview his friends and do a documentary." Nat got permission to record a studio tape with his brother, Alex, and his dad (Michael Wolff). While watching the recording, Draper had the idea of making a mock documentary about the band, presenting them as music icons like The Beatles. In a TV Guide interview in early 2007, Draper said, "What originally happened was that Nat and Alex had a band, and the idea evolved based on that. Spinal Tap meets The Little Rascals was my concept...I wanted it to be very Beatle-ish, have that Help! or A Hard Day's Night kind of feeling." Draper subsequently wrote and directed The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie, which was designed as an independent family home-video. In late 2005, Draper entered the film at the Hamptons International Film Festival, where it won the audience award for family feature film. Nickelodeon executive Albie Hecht, who was present in the audience, bought the film for the network. Nickelodeon urged the family to start a television series based on the film, and Draper agreed. Tom Asheim, the general manager and executive vice president of Nickelodeon said, "At first, we were intrigued by the idea, but we weren't sure kids would get the vague tongue-and-check-of-it. Then a bunch of us took it home to our own children and they loved it." Asheim also states: "This is our version of The Monkees. Nat Wolff wrote all the music, which I think distinguishes the show. Sometimes I think you get a sense from bands that they are it like Milli Vanilli. This really is by kids and for kids." Draper recalled, "When Nickelodeon first asked us about doing a series, we said, 'How about a cartoon, so the kids could stay normal?' They said, 'No, we love your kids.Template:'" Filming The siblings' mom, Polly Draper (star of ABC's Thirtysomething), was the creator, executive producer, head writer, and frequent director of the TV show; their father, Michael Wolff (music director for The Arsenio Hall Show), was the co-star and co-executive producer of the TV show. Albie Hecht was the executive producer and his production company Worldwide Biggies distributed the series. "I always hope that parents will enjoy the show as much as the children. I’m also very inspired by my son’s songs, so a lot of the feelings and thoughts in the episodes revolve around those. We treat this show like an adult comedy, not like a typical kids show. If a joke goes by unnoticed, that’s all right with us. With the third or fourth viewing, kids will pick it up, as opposed to most children’s fare, where most jokes are signaled and cued. The production studio, Kidzhouse EntertainmentTemplate:Citation needed—a division of Broadway Stages—is located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The giant studio is large enough that cast members played basketball with friends in a separate room when they are finished filming episodes. Draper managed to keep an eye on her two sons. For example, when the cast was filming an episode that featured the band making a video, Nat, who didn't want to kiss in the scene because his crush Rosalina was watching, follows directions which he then explains to his mother. That was the first season's ninth episode, "First Kiss (On the Lips, That is)", which was written by Michael Rubiner & Bob Mittenthal and directed by Draper's friend and Thirtysomething co-star Melanie Mayron. As showrunner, Polly Draper's presence is evident. For example, during production for the fourth episode of the second season, as the boys played restlessly on a purple sofa, their mother (who wasn't directing the scene) admonished them by saying, "Both of you, try to smile more." Occasionally, family disputes occur on set; for example, in July 2008—after filming for a long period of time on the set—when Draper gives one of the boys' an instruction, one of the siblings' irritatingly replies, "I know, Mom!" According to Nat Wolff during a family interview in January 2008, the French bulldog E.T., who plays David Levi's dog in the show, belongs to the Draper-Wolff family in real-life. Post production Albie Hecht knew that the series would be successful after watching The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie at the Hamptons International Film Festival. In a New York Times article Hecht explains, "They're just real—real brothers, real friends; it's all the stuff kids do when they're hanging out on the playground. The idea that you're watching a documentary is so much fun. Then you put them into that fantasy of being a world-famous rock band, and that's the sauce that makes it work." In October 2006, the online videos had been played 11 million times. Moreover, before the show's debut, "a fan recognized Nat and Alex in a Florida hotel. She sent them a note: 'Are you the Naked Brothers?' 'They were so excited,' Draper recalled. 'The show hasn't even aired yet and now walking down the streets kids are calling out their names. They can't believe it.' " Nat explained that "It's all based on reality. It's not like work. It's things we might say or do or want to say or do. I like the feeling of creating something that wasn't there. If we have second season, I'm totally getting ideas." Nat also says that "We have actually become way better friends working together." Alex responds, "We have?" Editing Craig Cobb was the picture editor for the series; he was also the assistant editor for Sex and The City. Cobb worked with Louis Bertini, the supervising sound editor of the series, who had been the editor for Sex and The City. Of the editing process, Bertini explains that editing the show was not much different than editing Sex and the City; they brought a similar "approach and constriction to the audio elements", although unlike Sex in the City, the show had a "larger cartoon element". However, Cobb considered the editing to be a challenge because he felt that a certain degree of unscripted "magic on set" existed that required more work. Because most of the children on the series are not actors—in addition to the music that was to be added—the editing process created a situation that was somewhat "messy". Nonetheless, Cobb believed the combination of factors created a "magic" of its own "and it's what makes this show really shine". When an episode completed filming, Cobb edited on the Final Cut Pro application, which normally took four days to complete. Bertini—who spent the same amount of time editing—then converted unnecessary script and added sound effects. Cobb says, "The 16:9 SD workflow was the plan for the 2008 season, but that has changed. We're working in 4:3 SD with the ProRes 422 codec, so we're cutting in a broadcast-quality format that we'll later output without having to recapture all the footage." According to Cobb, it is very difficult to coordinate the television's screen-framing: "There are many issues to consider. If I were able to cut it 16:9, I would be able to keep an eye on the outside edges of the frame. Since I only cut it in 4:3, I don’t get to see what's going on in the entire frame. Therefore, should an HD version be required, potentially a lot of adjustments will have to be made in the final edit. Occasionally, we've had to look at the 16:9 footage to reposition a couple of shots and I’ve seen light stands and such that will have to be removed somehow in a 16:9 version of the show. However, everything has been shot in 16:9 HD, so we will never have to stretch any images to fill the 16:9 frame." Music Nat and Alex write and perform all of the show's songs, and their father, Wolff, serves as the series' music supervisor. Wolff also co-produces the music with Michael A. Levine. The series' music editor, John Davis coordinates the songs' musical numbers. Amy Cervini and Russ Spiegel are both co-music instructors for the series. On October 9, 2007, the debut of the first season's self-titled soundtrack album released into stores. The day before, on October 8, the band had an autograph signing at Virgin Megastore in Times Square, New York City. It was produced by Wolff and Levine and distributed by Nick Music and Columbia Records. All of the music on the album includes tracks composed by Nat, apart from "Alien Clones" and "I Could Be", which were composed by Alex. Additionally, the group's first MTV music video released for their song "If That's Not Love". On April 15, 2008, the second season's soundtrack album, I Don't Want to Go to School was released into stores, and on March 18 it was released in Wal-Marts' across the country. Tracks from the album includes songs all written by Nat, including "I Don't Want to Go to School", with the exception of "Why" and "Three is Enough" which was composed by Alex. Other songs on the album include bonus tracks such as "Tall Girls, Short Girls...You", by Nat and "Changing" by Alex. The producers of the album were also Wolff and Levine and was distributed by Nick Music and Columbia Records. To praise the release of their new album, they performed their song, "I Don't Want to Go to School" live on NBC's Today Show. External links * The Naked Brothers Band Television Show * The Official Website Nat And Alex Wolff Category:Shows on Nickelodeon Category:NickToons Show